Wilf warns Minneapolis of additional costs tied to stadium plan

by T.W. BudigECM Capitol Reporter
Minnesota Vikings owner/president Mark Wilf sent Minneapolis city officials a letter on Monday, Jan. 9 detailing additional costs to the team stemming from a Metrodome-centered solution for a Vikings’ stadium.

Vikings' owner Zygi Wilf's brother Mark Wilf has sent a letter to Minneapolis officials warning of additional perceived costs in building a Vikings' stadium at the site of the Metrodome. Zygi Wilf is pictured speaking at the State Capitol last spring. (Photo by T.W. Budig)

The letter came just days before Gov. Mark Dayton’s recently imposed deadline to Minneapolis and Ramsey County officials on producing detailed Vikings’ stadium proposals.
The governor wants the proposals in his office on Thursday, Jan. 12.
In his letter, Wilf said the team still favors an Arden Hills’ stadium solution, but wants to follow state leaders in their desires that the team work with the city on their stadium proposal.
“Building a stadium on the Metrodome site would require the Vikings to play three seasons at TCF Bank Stadium,” wrote Wilf of playing at the University of Minnesota.
While working well with university officials, the team estimates that because of the fewer amenities at TCF Bank Stadium it would generate $12.3 million less each year than at the Metrodome, Wilf says in the letter. All told, this translates into about $37 million in lost revenue over three seasons, he wrote.
Additionally, Wilf said that in order to meet minimum National Football League stadium standards, TCF Bank Stadium would need about $11 million in upgrades.
As for the Metrodome site, NFL program requirements for parking for premium team customers demands 2,500 parking places on-site immediately adjacent the stadium, Wilf states.
This adds another $19 million in costs, he wrote.
With this $67 million in total additional costs, the Metrodome stadium proposal increases in cost to $962 million, Wilf wrote.
He also said there would be additional disruptions to the team, its fans, and the university stadium neighborhood by pursuing a Metrodome-based stadium solution.
Wilf called it “imperative” Minneapolis city officials address the issues mentioned in the letter in preparing their Vikings’ stadium proposal.
The Arden Hills Vikings’ stadium proposal estimated cost tops $1 billion.